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How a turntable is like a gym membership

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I was a member of the YMCA for years. I was there every night five days a week working out and playing basketball. I got married and started having children, but I kept my membership, I just wasn't using it. I wouldn't drop my membership because I liked playing basketball so much, I just wasn't going to the gym. Once a year, I'd go to the gym to justify my keeping it. I had to go to the front desk to get the combination to my locker, I had been there so seldom, I forgot the combination. After about five years reality set in and I finally dropped the membership. So I bought a full-fledged home gym that I now don't use, I go walking with my iPod instead.

I own two turntables, a record-cleaning machine and over 3,000 jazz LP's. Over the last five years I may have played a total of three or four LP's. I bought both of my turntables because they are both beautiful and thought that it would force me to play my vinyl. Wrong! I have an excellent CD player and I also own a SqueezeBox. Sorry, but digital is just too doggone convenient. It was nice owning two beautiful turntables so my guests could oooh and ahhh when thay saw them. It was cool to say "yeah, I still spin vinyl" when the fellas saw my system. But the truth was, I rarely came near the turntables. They served as not much more than Audio Sculpture or Audio Eye-Candy. Both of them sound beautiful, but I'll be doggone if I'm willing to go through ritual of cleaning the LP, cueing it, and be standing nearby to remove the arm when the last song is finished on one side. I kind of always felt that there was an unwritten rule somewhere that to be considered a "true audiophile" that you had to have analog playback included in your system. Sorry, but I've given in to 21st Century technology and I'm moving on. There, I've said it, I've been faking it as an analog lover for the past few years. Well, I do actually love analog, I just don't have time for it.

So, I put on an album tonight and DAMN that vinyl sounded good! But, after about 30 minutes, I realized that I have been spoiled by the convenience of digital and I'm just not willing to go through the gyrations to play an LP any longer.

So, the turntables have to go, but I'm keeping my LP's just in case. Hopefully my 13 year-old son will take them when he graduates from college.
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128x128mitch4t

Showing 6 responses by tvad

tvad
9,467 posts
 
My name is Tvad, and I have fallen for the convenience of digital.

My experience with rediscovering turntables a couple of years ago (after growing up with turntables and LPs) mirrors yours. After churning through four turntables, several phono preamps, half a dozen cartridges, and finally dialing in the analog front end system, I found that I wasn't playing records. I preferred the convenience of CDs, and later streaming music from a Transporter.

In fact, 85% of my listening now is streaming music from Pandora, or RadioParadise.com. I like the variety, and the sound quality is quite good.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Rats, I fell for another third rail, digital vs. vinyl thread!
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Soldersplatter, change the number 53 to 49 in your first paragraph, and it could be describing my experience re-discovering vinyl word for word.

I cycle 3-4 times a week (90-120 miles).
tvad
9,467 posts
 
12-20-10: Inna
"recording mediums other than vinyl". You mean tape?
I mean mediums other than vinyl...tape, CD, SACD, DVD-A, MP3, any medium other than vinyl.

Perhaps I was not clear, and I should have stated *playback* mediums rather than recording mediums, but I thought this was self explanatory.

Nevertheless, my point is the same.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
It is clear most on this thread do not understand vinyl! It is about the feel, the involvement, the love of the music, the memories, the artist, the meaning, taking the time to really listen and the sound.
Koegz (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
I can assure you, I understand vinyl. I grew up with vinyl (as the majority of participants here did).

I was also a musician for many years.

I can assure you that the feel, the involvement, the love of the music, the memories, the artist, the meaning, and taking the time to really listen and the sound can, and are equally enjoyed by those who prefer recording mediums other than vinyl.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Reel-to-reel at 15ips (inches per second)...unbelievable.

Why is it not the playback medium of choice? No infrastructure. No playback machines made today. No consumer demand for material (think SACD and DVD-A). Magnetic tape is tricky to store. Has to be wound "tails out". Can degrade over time.

Many reasons.

Tape had its heyday in the 70s. It was largely supplanted by high quality cassette tape. Then, like vinyl and cassette tape, it was decimated by the CD.

Vinyl has had its resurgence because the playback medium is more plentiful and does not deteriorate over time like magnetic tape.

IMO.
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